THE ISLAND OF CEYLON.. 305 
to see in Europe ; but keep constantly springing, by first 
fixing their head on a place, and then bringing their tail up 
to it with a sudden jerk, while at the same time their head 
is thrown forwards for another hold. In this manner they 
move so exceeding , quickly, that before they are perceived, 
they contrive to get upon one’s clothes, when they im- 
mediately endeavour by some aperture to find an entrance 
to the skin. As soon as they reach it, they begin to draw 
blood ; and as they can effect this even through the light 
clothing worn in this climate, it is almost impossible to 
pass through the woods and swamps in rainy weather without 
being covered with blood. On our way to Candy, in march- 
ing through the narrow paths among the woods, we were 
terribly annoyed by these vermin ; for whenever any of us sat 
down or even halted for a moment, we were sure to be 
immediately attacked by multitudes of them; and before we 
could get rid of them our gloves and boots were filled with 
blood. This was attended with no small danger ; for if a 
soldier were, from drunkenness or fatigue, to fall asleep on the 
ground, he must have perished by bleeding to death. On 
rising in the morning, I have often found my bed clothes and 
skin covered with blood in an alarming manner. The Dutch 
in their marches into the interior at different times lost 
several of their men ; and on our setting out they told us 
that we should hardly be able to make our way for them. 
But, though we were terribly annoyed, we all escaped without 
any serious accident. Other animals, as well as man, are 
II R 
